Key retainer



June 9,1959 L. SCHUMER- 2,889,697

KEY RETAINER Filed FOB. 5, 1.958 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Lou/s SCHUMER Mgw ' ATTORNEY June 9, 1959 L. SCHUMER KEY RETAINER Filed Feb. 5, 195a Z SheetS-Sheet 2 Ill" INVENTOR. Lou/s SCHUMER M mm ATTORNEY KEY RETAINER Louis Schumer, Brooklyn, NY. Application February 5, 1958, Serial No. 713,371 3 Claims. (Cl. 70-456) The present invention relates to a novel key retainer particularly adapted for use with removable key rings or hangers.

Key retainers having removable key rings are well known and have heretofore taken varied forms. However, the vast majority of such key retainers have assumed complex structures in order to achieve the desired removability of such key rings. The use of springs, pivoted levers and the like have heretofore been used which have proved to be expensive and cumbersome. In addition to these costly and clumsy attempts to solve the removability problem of key hangers from key retainers, some devices utilizing longitudinal movable bars have also been developed. However, these devices have likewise had shortcomings with respect to efiiciency and ease of operation. Some have proved awkward or too difiicult for the user to manipulate.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a simple and eflicient key retainer having removable key hangers.

Another object of this invention is to provide an inexpensive key retainer having easily removable key hangers.

More specifically, the invention comprises a base plate embodying spaced beaded portions defining spaced slots to removably receive said hangers and defining rearwardly extending free terminals spaced apart from the body of said plate to define spaced gaps in communication with said slots, said plate being provided with a plurality of depressed apertures for attachment to a sheath, a slide embodying a closure bar which is movable towards and away from said terminals and disposed on the rear face of said plate for removably closing said gaps, said slide having guide means cooperating with said plate to permit vertical movement of said bar towards and away from said gaps and terminals, and said slide being provided with a forwardly extending means situated on the side opposite the beaded portion of said plate for manipulating said slide.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification in connection with the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the key retainer in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view illustrating the closure slide closed and locked to preclude removal of the key hangers.

Fig. 2a is a side view similar to Fig. 2, showing the slide opened to allow removal or insertion of the key hangers.

Fig. 3 is a rear view of Fig. 1, illustrating the slide closed and locked.

Fig. 4 is also a rear view of Fig. 1, but showing the slide open.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of the closure slide per se.

Patented June 9, 1959 Fig 7 is a front elevational view of an alternative key retainer in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view on line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a front elevational view of an alternative closure slide per se.

Referring to the drawings, the key retainer KR comprises a rectilinear plate 1 provided with spaced depending hollow and arcuate beads 2, spaced apart by slots 3. Plate 1 is also provided with a plurality of two or more depressed or countersunk apertures 11, having a shoulder or dimple 12 on the rear face of said plate, said shoulder 12 being attached to -a leather sheath not shown) which covers KR. Apertures 11 may be made by dimpling or by other suitable methods. The purpose of shoulder 12 is to provide suflicient clearance for shutter slide SB, located on the posterior face of plate 1, to slide up and down without being impeded by the leather sheath attached to KR. The sheath is assembled to the base plate by simply attaching the sheath to the rear face of depressed apertures 11 at shoulder 12 in any suitable meanne, such as by riveting or the like. It is understood that the sheath may be made out of other materials than leather such as plastics, etc.

Key hangers H are composed of heads 4 and shanks S, said heads being removably supported by a pair of arcuate beads 2. Heads 4 are wider than slots 3 although shanks S carrying these heads may be threaded therein as is well appreciated.

The spaced heads 2 at the rear thereof form vertical gaps G adapted to be opened or closed by the shutter slide SB which extends across the entire length of the posterior or rear face of base plate 1. Vertical gaps G are large enough to permit removal and insertion of heads 4 of hangers H.

Shutter slide SB comprises a flat horizontal closure bar 5 terminating in vertical flanges 6, vertical connecting bars 7 carrying turned in lips 8, and a horizontal connecting bar 9 connecting said vertical bars 7, bar 9 terminating in a flange or lip 10 which is integral with and extends forwardly of connecting bar 9. Connecting bar 9 preferably extends a sutficient distance from plate 1 to permit the user to grasp lip 10 easily without interference from key hangers H.

Another modification of slide SB is shown in Fig. 9 whch provides for the direct attachment of flange or lip 10 to closure bar 5, said flange 10 passing through an opening 15 (Fig. 7) in base plate 1, centrally situated directly above the beaded portion of plate 1, said opening being of suflicient width and height to permit lip 10 to operate bar 5.

Shutter slide SB is attached to plate '1 by means of turned in lips 8 which engage transverse slots 13 situated on plate 1, which may be in the shape of narrow elongated slots or have a rounded portion as shown in the drawings. The rounded portions of slots 13 facilitate assembly of the slide SB to plate 1. Slots 13 also act as auxiliary guides for the vertical movement of SB. The main guide posts are provided by flanges 14 which are integral with and extend posteriorly from plate 1 at each side of plate 1. Flanges 6 of SB ride in a vertical direction against guide flanges 14 attached to plate 1 to effect the opening or closure of gaps G by the vertical movement of closure bar 5 away from and towards free terminals T of beads 2.

In order to operate slide SB, flange 10 of SB is grasped between a finger and thumb of the operator and pulled upwards, away from the beaded portion of plate 1 in order to open gaps G by the upwards movement of closure bar away from free terminals T, and permit the removal or insertion of key hangers H. The slide SB remains in this open position without the use of continuing pressure against SB as is necessary in spring arrangements or the like. The attachment of the sheath to shoulder 12 of countersunk aperture 11 acts as a stop for SB in preventing SB from being displaced to a greater extent than is necessary for the opening of gaps G. The attached sheath has the additional function of preventing the complete removal of SB. Thus, it is apparent that by utilizing the simple expedient of sheath attachment, necessary in all key retainers, SB is provided with an adequate stopping means without the addition of intricate stopping or locking devices heretofore used. By pushing down on flange or lip 10, closure bar covers G and prevents the removal of key hangers H, free terminals T acting as a stop for bar 5.

The advantages of the key retainers of the present invention are multiple, the major one being ease and simplicity of operation for the user. By merely grasping flange 19, and pulling up or pushing down, the user can either open or close the key retainer, no pressure being necessary to overcome indentations, projections, or the like. Secondly, the efiiciency of the instant key retainer exceeds those heretofore known and used by eliminating the sticking of the closure bar either due to the tight fit of the leather sheath on the key retainer, or due to the close fit of the closure bar on the base plate of the key retainer. Another advantage is the simple construction of the present key retainer thereby permitting easy assemblage and low cost in manufacture. Both the base plate and the shutter slide can be inexpensively manufactured from sheet material and easily assembled on a mass production basis.

While the invention has been described with reference to various embodiments thereof as hereinbefore set forth, it is to be clearly understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but includes various modifications and equivalents within the scope of the instant invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A key retainer adapted to removably support key hangers comprising a base plate embodying spaced beaded portions defining spaced slots to removably receive said hangers and defining rearwardly extending free terminals spaced apart from the body of said plate to define spaced gaps in communication with said slots, said plate being provided with a plurality of depressed apertures for attachment to a sheath, a slide disposed on the rear face of said plate for removably closing said gaps comprising a fiat horizontal closure bar terminating in vertical flanges, said flanges cooperating with guide means provided by said base plate to permit vertical movement of said bar towards and away from said gaps and terminals, said slide being provided with vertical bars having disposed thereon means for engaging elongated apertures situated on the face of said base plate,

i and said slide embodying a forwardly extending lip for activating said slide.

2. A key retainer adapted to removably support key hangers comprising a base plate embodying spaced beaded portions defining spaced slots to removably receive said hangers and defining rearwardly extending free terminals spaced apart from the body of said plate to define spaced gaps in communication with said slots, said plate being provided with a plurality of recessed apertures for attachment to a sheath and having vertical guide means, and elongated apertures thereon, for attachment to a slide, a slide disposed on the rear face of said plate comprising a flat horizontal closure bar which is movable towards and away from said terminals and for removably closing said gaps, said horizontal closure bar having vertical-extending flanges as guide means cooperating with said guide means of said plate to permit vertical movement of said bar towards and away from said gaps and terminals, said closure bar having vertical extending bars having disposed thereon lips for engaging said elongated apertures of said base plate, said vertical bars terminating in a horizontal connecting bar having means thereon extending beyond said base plate for manipulating said slide.

3. A key retainer adapted to removably support key hangers comprising a base plate embodying spaced beaded portions defining spaced slots to removably receive said hangers and defining rearwardly extending free terminals spaced apart from the body of said plate to define spaced gaps in communication with said slots, said plate being provided with a plurality of recessed apertures for attachment to a sheath and having vertical guide means at sides thereof and elongated apertures thereon for attachment to a slide and a centrally-located aperture thereon to enable manually operable means for vertical movement of said slide, a slide disposed on the rear face of said plate, comprising a flat horizontal closure bar which is movable towards and away from said terminals for removably closing said gaps, said horizontal closure bar having vertical-extending flanges as guide means cooperating with said guide means of said plate to permit vertical movement of said bar towards and away from said gaps and terminals, said closure bar having vertical extending bars having disposed thereon lips for engaging said elongated apertures of said base plate, said closure bar terminating in a forwardly extending flange extending through said centrally-located aperture in said base place for manipulating said slide.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,606,438 Legat et a1. Aug. 12, 1952 2,733,591 Schumer Feb. 7, 1956 

